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As mentioned just now, the trend of "amusing ourselves to death" in the digital age continues to intensify. We should ask ourselves: What should we do? The author think we can start from these three aspects.
First, correct our understanding of technology by breaking the notion of "technological neutrality". As Neil Postman discussed, technology is an "unspoken ideology" that dictates how we perceive the world. So we must use technology selectively and with principles.
Second, cultivate media awareness. Media inherently possess biases that influence our cognition. We must clearly understand the characteristics and limitations of different media. Therefore when accessing to media information, we can maintain a critical mindset and avoid being influenced.
Third, education must fulfill its role as an antidote and "the last ditch". Cultivating critical and independent thinking of students is a core mission of education. It can also help students develop correct values and aesthetic concepts, enabling them to pursue higher-level enjoyment rather than getting lost in low-level entertainment.
Fighting against the trend of "amusing ourselves to death" is not to reject technology but to refuse to let technology define the "boundaries of cognition." Huxley’s warning does not urge us to retreat to a "technology-free society" but to safeguard the dignity of "thinking" while embracing media. As Postman reminds us, there is less hope of our gaining control over modern media unless we keep a deep and unfailing awareness of its structure and effects. |
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